Chapter 106: Awakening

Zhou Qi lay in the hospital for half a year. Throughout this time, Ren Shanshan cared for him with unwavering devotion. With no family left and having spent years struggling alone in the world, Zhou Qi felt a deep ache in his heart as he looked at her. He knew his current state had everything to do with her. Whether it was a surge of maternal instinct or merely inner guilt, caring for Zhou Qi had become her habit.

"Don't worry, Zhou Qi. I will take responsibility for you. I will provide for you until you are well again," Ren Shanshan promised, patting her chest.

Living off a woman? This was something the Zhou Qi of his past life had only ever fantasized about. He never expected it to happen here, in this illusion. Ren Shanshan was young, beautiful, and wealthy; the line of suitors trailing after her could stretch all the way to France. As a loser in his previous life, this was something the old Zhou Qi wouldn't have dared to dream of.

Zhou Qi moved into Ren Shanshan’s home. Since he was trapped in an illusion, he saw no point in being coy; he decided to simply live out his fantasy.

Three years passed in a blink. Ren Shanshan accompanied Zhou Qi through every thrill imaginable—bungee jumping, the Canton Tower, the Ordovician Theme Park, the Fire Dragon Drill, and the Sky and Earth Twins. Yet, Zhou Qi still could not break the illusion. The prolonged stay made him lose certainty over whether the world of the Heavenly Profound Continent was real or fake.

Ren Shanshan was now thirty, of marriageable age. Over the years, they had lived together as a couple, and in the eyes of others, they were already husband and wife. Seeing the pleading look in her eyes, Zhou Qi nodded helplessly. If the Heavenly Profound Continent was real, then this was merely an illusion, so he wouldn't be abandoning anyone; if the Heavenly Profound Continent was false, then living out his life like this wasn't bad, he thought.

In their fifth year, their daughter was born. They named her Zhou Mo. Holding little Zhou Mo, Zhou Qi felt a blood connection so profound that, from the moment he saw her, he stopped trying to break the illusion.

Zhou Mo became his entire world. Watching her babble, taking her first steps, and hearing her call him "Daddy" made his heart melt. Ren Shanshan was overjoyed. Since Zhou Mo’s birth, Zhou Qi never again cried out for the True Monarch, Jiu'er, or Jiang Yiyi in his sleep. Zhou Qi had told her about his experiences in the Heavenly Profound Continent, but Ren Shanshan dismissed them as a dream born from intense trauma. Zhou Qi did not argue.

Zhou Mo grew up, went to school, graduated, found a job, married, and had children of her own. Zhou Qi was busy with every milestone, personally involved in every major event of his daughter’s life.

Fifty years had passed since Zhou Qi first arrived. He was now old and frail, his movements stiff. If he were to pass away now, this life would have been complete. The Heavenly Profound Continent was, in the end, nothing more than a dream, he sighed.

Ren Shanshan passed away, leaving peacefully in Zhou Qi’s arms. He felt a void open in his heart. With Zhou Mo now having a family of her own, he lay alone on a lounge chair outside the empty house, watching the sun rise and set, quietly waiting for his time to come.

"Brother..." Suddenly, a beautiful voice echoed in his mind. It was Jiu'er. Zhou Qi tumbled from his chair; the voice in his mind was clear and distinct. This was definitely not a hallucination.

"Brother, wake up."

"Brother, Jiu'er is waiting for you." The voice grew louder, as if it were resonating through the entire space.

"Zhou Qi, wake up at once." The voice of the Heavenly Profound True Monarch rang out. Zhou Qi felt the entire space trembling, and his own body began to dissipate bit by bit.

Zhou Qi took one last lingering look at this world. He had spent a lifetime here, a life that had once made him believe it was the only reality. Shanshan, Xiao Mo, farewell.

He opened his eyes. Huang Qianqian was still perched on his shoulder. He stood within a formation; the surrounding space was filled with countless arrays of varying sizes, with narrow paths winding between them. In the distance, a glass-like wall stood, mirroring the one behind him.

"True Monarch, how long have I been in there?"

"You have been inside for one day."

"Only a day?" Zhou Qi was stunned. He had lived over fifty years in the illusion, yet only a day had passed here.

"At first, you showed signs of waking, but then you became motionless, and your soul was on the verge of scattering. I tried every method to wake you, but it must have been the talisman on your chest. Just before your soul completely dissipated, it emitted a bright light and gathered your soul back together," the Heavenly Profound True Monarch explained.

It was the protective talisman Jiu'er had given him. If not for it, dying in the illusion would surely have meant death in reality.

"What happened in the illusion that nearly caused your soul to scatter?" the Heavenly Profound True Monarch asked.

Zhou Qi did not explain. Everything that happened in the illusion remained vivid—Ren Shanshan’s radiant smile, the sound of Zhou Mo’s childish voice calling him "Daddy"—every scene was etched into his heart.

"True Monarch, I am no longer afraid of heights," Zhou Qi said.

Seeing that Zhou Qi was unwilling to say more, the Heavenly Profound True Monarch did not press him. Perhaps there were things too unforgettable to speak of.

"Senior," Zhou Qi called out to Huang Qianqian on his shoulder. She remained motionless and silent; she must have also fallen into the illusion.

"She is fine. Once you step out of this formation, she should wake up," the Heavenly Profound True Monarch said.

Zhou Qi stepped out of the formation and onto the narrow path. Indeed, Huang Qianqian began to move, and immediately, she started chattering incessantly.

"Why did it end so quickly? I hadn't killed the evil dragon yet, and I hadn't said goodbye to my harem! Let me tell you, little Zhou, you were part of my harem in there. You were so good to me, doing whatever I told you to do—not like you in reality, so boring. Go back into the formation, I want to relive it!" Huang Qianqian chirped.

Zhou Qi’s face darkened. What exactly was this bird fantasizing about? She even wanted to add him to her harem.

"Senior, I cannot delay. I still need to save my friends. If you like it so much, you can stay here. When I finish my business, I will come back for you."

"Ugh, forget it. Real is real, and fake is fake. No matter how beautiful things are in an illusion, it’s just self-deception. It only reflects the desires hidden deep in your heart," Huang Qianqian flapped her wings, looking indifferent.

Reflects hidden desires? Zhou Qi was startled. Was his deepest desire really just to find a wealthy, beautiful woman to support him so he could live a simple life? And not to be a legendary hero who commands the world? He couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. If he had wished for Ren Shanshan to be immortal, would she not have died in the illusion?

Zhou Qi had no intention of going back. It was enough to keep the beautiful memories in his heart. If he tried to hold onto them forever, even the most beautiful flower would wither, and even the most profound emotions would struggle to withstand the erosion of time.

He had loved, he had possessed, and that was enough. Zhou Qi turned and walked away gracefully along the narrow path.